Key Information

We are a class of 8 children.

Miss Quarry is our Nursery Manager.

• Morning sessions begin at 8.45am and end at 11.45am. If your child is staying for wraparound, they will be picked up at 3.15pm
• Children are required to 'read' (retell) the story in their reading books 5 times a week at home to reach 'strive for five'. They will be read with at school at least once a week, (if they are ready we will change their reading book.) 
• PE will take place every Friday morning. Children are to come to school already changed for PE. If your child is in wrap around/30 free hours, they will also have PE with Reception on a Wednesday afternoon.
• Please feel free to bring a spare set of clothes. This will be put on their peg.
• Snack money can be paid ahead termly as to minimise transactions. (£1 per week). We ask that this is brought into school in a labelled envelope.
• Lunch can be booked daily (Please find the link below). For a lunch login please contact admin@distington-comm.cumbria.sch.uk or call school 01946 830526. Lunch must be ordered by 9.30am on the morning that they require it.
• Class Dojo: Most information and letters will be shared via Class Dojo. You can download Dojo as an app or use the desktop version. (Please find a link to this in the 'Useful links' below.)
• Children will gain Dojo points for reading, hard work, kindness e.t.c. We will have a Dojo champion each week. This child will get a certificate and be able to come to school in non-uniform the following week.
• Wraparound: Wraparound sessions are avaliable for Nursey children. These cost £10 per session. Children that attend wraparound can be picked up at 3.15pm. Wraparound sessions must be booked by 1pm on Friday for the following week to secure the slot.
• ‘Rising threes’- When your child reaches 3 they may be able to attend sessions before their intake, on a wraparound basis. Please contact school if you are interested in using the ‘Rising-threes’ facility. Sessions are priced at £10 per session, (not including lunch, yet this is available). Current ‘rising-threes’ sessions are from 8.45am-11.45am. At Distington Community School Nursery we do accept Rising three children with 15hour codes. See if you are eligible for 15 free hours childcare from your child's 3rd Birthday by clicking on the link below.

Useful links:

Phonics and letter formation

In Nursery we use two different schemes when learning phonics and letter formation.

We use Jolly Phonics to learn the letter sound. (This is the sound that the letter makes not the name of the letter.) We then use Read Write Inc. to form our letter sounds.

Below we have added some useful links and resources when helping your child with their phonics and letter formation.

Fine motor activities are important when it comes to developing good pencil grip and control. 

Each morning Nursery take part in Dough Disco, where they use their dough to help strengthen and develop their fine motor skills. 

Children also have access to the 'Finger gym' where they can take part in themed fine motor activities in the classroom. 

It is really important to share stories at home. This helps with speech and comprehension. Whether this be looking through story books and retelling the story in their own words, using a range of different questioning or reading simple CVC words or recognising sounds and sign in the environment. 

Oxford reading owl is a great resource to find online texts that the children can explore. With a FREE ebook library and advice and support for parents and educational activities and games.

 Please use the link below. 

STRIVE FOR 5!

In our classroom we have a display where the children watch as they rise up the beanstalk to get to the castle. Moving up a leaf each time they read at home. This is started again at the beginning of each week.  The goal is to read at home at least five times a week. If they manage this every week of the half term they will get a certificate and book at the end of the half term. 

Each time a child reads at home they will also get a raffle ticket.. This is put into a draw that is drew every achievement assembly, at the end of each week. If their ticket is picked they will get a prize!

On Friday 13th July Nursery celebrated Roahl Dahl's birthday by taking part in a range of different activities that were themed around some of his most famous books. These activities also involved the encouragement of developing fine motor skill as well as linking to the current maths challenge of sorting and matching. 

During our Traditional Tales topic the Nursery children have focussed on, 'The Three Little Pigs' story by Nick Sharratt and Stephen Tucker. The learning challenge for this topic being, 'What would you build your house out of?' These are some of the things that the Nursery children have been taking part in during this topic. The children have designed their own houses using different materials, explored the Three Little Pigs small world, took part in The Three little pigs yoga as well as crafts relating to the topic to name a few. All literacy and phonics based activities have been topic based to help to enrich the children's topical experiences and understanding of the topic. 

Is your child or a child that you know eligible? :

Children that turn 3 years old between 1 April and 31 August can receive their free 15 hours a week from September.

Children that turn 3 years old between 1 September and 31 December can receive their free 15 hours a week from January.

Children that turn 3 years old between 1 January and 31 March can receive their free 15 hours a week from April.

Children applying for Nursery will have a home visit. Home visits enable children and Nursery to meet staff and parents are able to fill in forms and ask any questions they may have. Additionally children will be able to access transition sessions in the Nursery class. This is also in order to help to to get settled into the class. These will take place the term before the child is due to start Nursery.

*You can collect a welcome packs and application forms from the school office.*

Please see below for a application form that you can fill in/print out at home.

If you would like to know more about Nursery, please get in contact school on 01946 830526.)

You can also download application forms here: 

If you think that your child is close to starting school age and have any questions, please do not hesitate in contacting me on 01946 830526.

  Miss Quarry